Moments

Mississippi River above Lock & Dam No. 1.

Attracted to the mirrored water of the Mississippi, a man of limited range, tottered to the edge of the river gorge.

I noticed his curved spine. He surveyed the precipice. The anise scent of Black-eyed Susan and the tannic odor of the oak savanna filled his senses.

I imagined this river scene was the gently flowing backdrop to the memories flooding his mind.

Two feet rooted like buckthorn, he swayed like a blade of prairie grass for quite some time, rotating his head to drink in the panorama.

When finally he turned to leave, it was a bittersweet recognition. We both knew this was his last memory of this particular bend in the river. A once gaping future had collapsed to moments.

He crossed my path. I watched him recede. Moments later I took this picture.